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Ontario doctors to urge pregnant women to get vaccinated against COVID-19 – CBC.ca

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The Ontario Medical Association says it plans to make a concerted effort this week to urge pregnant women to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Dr. Constance Nasello, chair of the OMA’s section on obstetrics and gynecology, said obstetricians and gynecologists will remind women across the province to get their two doses because COVID-19 vaccination rates of pregnant women in Ontario are relatively low compared to that of the overall eligible population.

According to the ICES COVID-19 Dashboard, 68 per cent of pregnant women, age 12 to 64, have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 60 per cent have had two doses, up until Oct. 3, 2021. In the same time period, 84 per cent of eligible Ontarians have had one dose, while 79 per cent have had two doses.

“Please, please get vaccinated, you’ll protect yourself,” Nasello said in a message to pregnant women in Ontario.

“The antibodies that you make will cross the placenta to protect your baby. And please, get everyone around you vaccinated because the safest way to prevent spread of this virus and to prevent more variants that could be potentially even more virulent from emerging is for more and more people to be vaccinated. Protect yourself, protect your family.”

COVID-19 consequences can be severe if pregnant: OMA

Nasello, based in Chatham, Ont., said it’s important for doctors to make this push now because pregnant women continue to be at higher risk of becoming seriously ill if they get COVID-19. The OMA has 44,000 members, including 31,500 of whom are practicing doctors.

Five per cent of pregnant women who get COVID-19 require admission to hospital, and of that number, 10 per cent end up in intensive care units for long periods of time. Pregnant women in ICUs and their fetuses have to be monitored closely and the data shows that women who acquire COVID-19 are more likely to deliver prematurely, she said.

There are cases where mothers and babies don’t survive the infection, she added.

“All in all, it’s an unfortunate, unfortunate situation and one that can be completely prevented by vaccination,” she said.

“Our goal is to actually try to reach as many people as possible with the most up to date information and answer their questions and hope that they will choose to become vaccinated.”

Caitlin Magura, an intensive care unit nurse at Humber River Hospital who has one child and is pregnant with another, says: ‘I’ve seen firsthand the devastating effects that COVID 19 can have on the body, especially in pregnant women. We do see pregnant women often. And it’s that decision and working with that population really kind of made me not hesitate when it comes to protecting myself.’ (Paula Duhatschek/CBC)

For Caitlin Magura, an intensive care unit nurse at Humber River Hospital who has one child and is pregnant with another, said she was hesitant at first to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“It was a new vaccine and we didn’t know much about it and the information wasn’t really there as far as pregnant women getting vaccinated and any of the effects on the baby. But after much research was done and the studies came out and speaking with my OB, my family doctor, I decided it was the right decision for me,” Magura said.

Magura said her work as an ICU nurse helped her to make a decision. She got vaccinated in her first trimester.

“I’ve seen firsthand the devastating effects that COVID 19 can have on the body, especially in pregnant women. We do see pregnant women often. And it’s that decision and working with that population really kind of made me not hesitate when it comes to protecting myself.” 

If a friend were to ask her advice about the vaccine, Magura said she would recommend “staying off the internet, staying off of word of mouth and not what their friends think, but getting their information from a trusted source, feeling confident in their decision and obtaining all the knowledge from their doctors that they can.” 

According to the Ontario health ministry, several organizations say COVID-19 vaccine is safe and recommended for women who are trying to conceive, or who are pregnant, or who are breastfeeding. (KieferPix/Shutterstock )

Tama Cross, a registered midwife and midwifery department head at the Scarborough Health Network, acknowledged that there are a lot of questions that women have about the safety of any medication during pregnancy. She noted there are vaccines, including the Rubella one, that is not recommended for pregnant women.

“Everything is often questioned whether it’s safe in pregnancy. I think it’s really reasonable that they expect a very fulsome discussion about the COVID vaccine. And as health care providers, we just have to expect that. But that discussion may take some time,” Cross said.

“We need to take the time to explain that it is safe, that there have been studies that have involved many pregnant women who have already had the vaccine, and there’s been no evidence to show that there is any negative effects on pregnancy outcomes.”

Pregnant women who get COVID-19 face increased risk of preterm labour, C-section, stillbirth and high blood pressure, she said. “Those risks are really important to talk about it in the discussion,” she said.

COVID-19 vaccine safe during pregnancy, province says

According to the Ontario health ministry, several organizations say COVID-19 vaccine is safe and recommended for women who are trying to conceive, or who are pregnant, or who are breastfeeding. The organizations include:

  • Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health.
  • Ontario Society of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists.
  • Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada.
  • National Advisory Committee on Immunization.

“You can safely get the COVID-19 vaccine before becoming pregnant or in any trimester of pregnancy,” the ministry said in an email on Saturday.

“The benefits of getting vaccinated to prevent potential complications in pregnancy far outweigh the risks. Not only will the vaccine protect you from COVID-19 infection, it will reduce the risk of severe illness and complications related to COVID-19 infections in pregnancy,” it continued.

“Studies suggest the antibodies your body develops following vaccination will pass to your baby, which may keep them safe after birth.”

Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, said on Thursday that vaccination is important for women who are trying to become pregnant, or who are pregnant, or who are breastfeeding.

“Getting vaccinated can protect you from infection and reduce the risk of severe disease and complications in pregnancy,” Moore said.

“And studies suggest the antibodies that your body develops following vaccination will pass on to your baby, which will keep them safe after birth. You can safely get the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines before becoming pregnant or in any trimester of pregnancy,” he added.

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Telus prioritizing ‘most important customers,’ avoiding ‘unprofitable’ offers: CFO

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Telus Corp. says it is avoiding offering “unprofitable” discounts as fierce competition in the Canadian telecommunications sector shows no sign of slowing down.

The company said Friday it had fewer net new customers during its third quarter compared with the same time last year, as it copes with increasingly “aggressive marketing and promotional pricing” that is prompting more customers to switch providers.

Telus said it added 347,000 net new customers, down around 14.5 per cent compared with last year. The figure includes 130,000 mobile phone subscribers and 34,000 internet customers, down 30,000 and 3,000, respectively, year-over-year.

The company reported its mobile phone churn rate — a metric measuring subscribers who cancelled their services — was 1.09 per cent in the third quarter, up from 1.03 per cent in the third quarter of 2023. That included a postpaid mobile phone churn rate of 0.90 per cent in its latest quarter.

Telus said its focus is on customer retention through its “industry-leading service and network quality, along with successful promotions and bundled offerings.”

“The customers we have are the most important customers we can get,” said chief financial officer Doug French in an interview.

“We’ve, again, just continued to focus on what matters most to our customers, from a product and customer service perspective, while not loading unprofitable customers.”

Meanwhile, Telus reported its net income attributable to common shares more than doubled during its third quarter.

The telecommunications company said it earned $280 million, up 105.9 per cent from the same three-month period in 2023. Earnings per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 was 19 cents compared with nine cents a year earlier.

It reported adjusted net income was $413 million, up 10.7 per cent year-over-year from $373 million in the same quarter last year. Operating revenue and other income for the quarter was $5.1 billion, up 1.8 per cent from the previous year.

Mobile phone average revenue per user was $58.85 in the third quarter, a decrease of $2.09 or 3.4 per cent from a year ago. Telus said the drop was attributable to customers signing up for base rate plans with lower prices, along with a decline in overage and roaming revenues.

It said customers are increasingly adopting unlimited data and Canada-U.S. plans which provide higher and more stable ARPU on a monthly basis.

“In a tough operating environment and relative to peers, we view Q3 results that were in line to slightly better than forecast as the best of the bunch,” said RBC analyst Drew McReynolds in a note.

Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi added that “the telecom industry in Canada remains very challenging for all players, however, Telus has been able to face these pressures” and still deliver growth.

The Big 3 telecom providers — which also include Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. — have frequently stressed that the market has grown more competitive in recent years, especially after the closing of Quebecor Inc.’s purchase of Freedom Mobile in April 2023.

Hailed as a fourth national carrier, Quebecor has invested in enhancements to Freedom’s network while offering more affordable plans as part of a set of commitments it was mandated by Ottawa to agree to.

The cost of telephone services in September was down eight per cent compared with a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada’s most recent inflation report last month.

“I think competition has been and continues to be, I’d say, quite intense in Canada, and we’ve obviously had to just manage our business the way we see fit,” said French.

Asked how long that environment could last, he said that’s out of Telus’ hands.

“What I can control, though, is how we go to market and how we lead with our products,” he said.

“I think the conditions within the market will have to adjust accordingly over time. We’ve continued to focus on digitization, continued to bring our cost structure down to compete, irrespective of the price and the current market conditions.”

Still, Canada’s telecom regulator continues to warn providers about customers facing more charges on their cellphone and internet bills.

On Tuesday, CRTC vice-president of consumer, analytics and strategy Scott Hutton called on providers to ensure they clearly inform their customers of charges such as early cancellation fees.

That followed statements from the regulator in recent weeks cautioning against rising international roaming fees and “surprise” price increases being found on their bills.

Hutton said the CRTC plans to launch public consultations in the coming weeks that will focus “on ensuring that information is clear and consistent, making it easier to compare offers and switch services or providers.”

“The CRTC is concerned with recent trends, which suggest that Canadians may not be benefiting from the full protections of our codes,” he said.

“We will continue to monitor developments and will take further action if our codes are not being followed.”

French said any initiative to boost transparency is a step in the right direction.

“I can’t say we are perfect across the board, but what I can say is we are absolutely taking it under consideration and trying to be the best at communicating with our customers,” he said.

“I think everyone looking in the mirror would say there’s room for improvement.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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TC Energy cuts cost estimate for Southeast Gateway pipeline project in Mexico

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CALGARY – TC Energy Corp. has lowered the estimated cost of its Southeast Gateway pipeline project in Mexico.

It says it now expects the project to cost between US$3.9 billion and US$4.1 billion compared with its original estimate of US$4.5 billion.

The change came as the company reported a third-quarter profit attributable to common shareholders of C$1.46 billion or $1.40 per share compared with a loss of C$197 million or 19 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

Revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 30 totalled C$4.08 billion, up from C$3.94 billion in the third quarter of 2023.

TC Energy says its comparable earnings for its latest quarter amounted to C$1.03 per share compared with C$1.00 per share a year earlier.

The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 95 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TRP)

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BCE reports Q3 loss on asset impairment charge, cuts revenue guidance

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BCE Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter as it recorded $2.11 billion in asset impairment charges, mainly related to Bell Media’s TV and radio properties.

The company says its net loss attributable to common shareholders amounted to $1.24 billion or $1.36 per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with a profit of $640 million or 70 cents per share a year earlier.

On an adjusted basis, BCE says it earned 75 cents per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of 81 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

“Bell’s results for the third quarter demonstrate that we are disciplined in our pursuit of profitable growth in an intensely competitive environment,” BCE chief executive Mirko Bibic said in a statement.

“Our focus this quarter, and throughout 2024, has been to attract higher-margin subscribers and reduce costs to help offset short-term revenue impacts from sustained competitive pricing pressures, slow economic growth and a media advertising market that is in transition.”

Operating revenue for the quarter totalled $5.97 billion, down from $6.08 billion in its third quarter of 2023.

BCE also said it now expects its revenue for 2024 to fall about 1.5 per cent compared with earlier guidance for an increase of zero to four per cent.

The company says the change comes as it faces lower-than-anticipated wireless product revenue and sustained pressure on wireless prices.

BCE added 33,111 net postpaid mobile phone subscribers, down 76.8 per cent from the same period last year, which was the company’s second-best performance on the metric since 2010.

It says the drop was driven by higher customer churn — a measure of subscribers who cancelled their service — amid greater competitive activity and promotional offer intensity. BCE’s monthly churn rate for the category was 1.28 per cent, up from 1.1 per cent during its previous third quarter.

The company also saw 11.6 per cent fewer gross subscriber activations “due to more targeted promotional offers and mobile device discounting compared to last year.”

Bell’s wireless mobile phone average revenue per user was $58.26, down 3.4 per cent from $60.28 in the third quarter of the prior year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:BCE)

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